Gut Feeling

Reader's Digest 2008 - May 2008 Pg 50 - 55

I must applaud the author, Lynn Sherr, for her bravery in overcoming colon cancer and her ability to share her near death experience with readers. The independence she portrays in her determination to triumph over colon cancer should well be a motivation for other cancer-stricken patients to be optimistic about their own situation and not give in to the virus. Her goal was that simple- To be a normal person living normal life- and she achieved it because she kept fighting.
I am flabbergasted by the insensitivity and irresponsibilty of the doctors and fellow medical personnel who treated Sherr. She had that gut feeling that something was wrong with her and it was not appendicitis as the doctors thought. The use of the word 'thought' already shows the uncertainty of Sherr's situation. The dagger-like pain to her gut had left her gasping and it was a sign it was worse than appendicitis. The feeling she had was partly attributed to her husband's death to cancer, yet, despite insistent questioning, the surgeon could still say that he thinks Sherr did not have cancer. Even if there was a possibility, it would be only a small chance and insisted it was appendicitis. In my point of view, I think that doctors and surgeons alike should leave the word 'think' out of their vocabulary when dealing with patients. It only gives patients a sense of doubt and leaves them in worry. This also leads to suspicion of the doctor's capability. They should always give confirmation and not compromisation, not assuming or inferencing situations. Health is key in life, and worrying alone deters a healthy life.
I guess the doctors were surprised by Sherr as well, because she was right, it was not appendicitis. It was something more serious. She must haved proved them wrong and thus they hesitated to reveal her state. Again, doctors should not hesitate to reveal the truth unless they are very sure the patient will not be able to take the blow. In this case, Sherr lives a very professional life. She was likely to be able to handle the situation professionally and not freak out. This shows the lack of communication and information between the doctor and the patient, which is essential in gaining each other's trust.
Upon knowing her situation from her sister, Sherr was not shocked. In fact, she was determined to learn everything she could about his assault on her life. I am impressed by her initial reaction, because hardly anyone could handle a life concerning situation with such calm attitude. She could even joke about her sickness, singing her e-mails with a semi-colon. Such optimism deserves commendation. If I were to be in her shoes, I would probably be 'boasting' about my health and have everyone pity me. Not a good example, obviously, but Sherr's keep-fighting attitude eliminates such thoughts.
She was on the right track. Her situation got better by the day but she had to decide whether or not to have chemotherapy. Colon cancer was known as a silent killer, so that dagger-like pain she felt saved her. She was lucky. As she wanted to be a normal person living a normal life, she decided to take up chemotherapy. When she saw people who were in much worse conditions than her, it must have motivated her to go forward in life. However, when she found at there was a risk of recurrence, she burst into tears. This is natural, having led quite a normal life for quite awhile and then taking another blow. But another motivation came- two baseball players who were in the same condition and all of them acknowledged how this brush with death changes their perception of the world. To them, it's about being alive.
In the end, Sherr passed the recurrence mark and would only need to be checked in a year. She felt great to be considered normal again. This article teaches the importance of optimism. Imagine you were the author, could you have taken this situation into good hands? For me, I possibly could not have. Lynn Sherr is definitely a role model for everyone. Her never-say-die attitude certainly deserves applaud.

Done by: Bernice (3)